Unfinished Mission

UNFINISHED MISSION

    “Mum,” Ifeanyi called in a soared mood.

    “Yes son.” responded his mother, Madam Chika.

    “I have often times asked you to tell me who is my father.”

     The 57-year-old Madam Chika was speechless.

    “Is he dead?” the 24-year-old Ifeanyi rode on. “If he is dead, I want to see his grave.”

      His mother remained calm and sober, couldn’t utter a word.

      Madam Chika Ochi who used to be known and addressed as Lolo Chika Okezie begot the perturbed Mr. Ifeanyi Okezie many years back when she was still in her matrimonial home. She got divorced with her husband, Chief Azu Okezie when Ifeanyi was barely one-year-old, owing to her infidelity; she was actually caught in the act.

      Now, ‘Obi’ had eventually become a man and he anxiously longed to be intimated on his real lineage; hence, the divorcee needed to start confessing, else, something tragic might transpire therein. Though she knew someday the truth would be unveiled to her lovely and only child, she was actually awaiting the right time. Maybe, that was the right time as it was apparent that Ifeanyi could not leave that sitting room at Ochi’s compound without a tangible answer.

     When he was growing up till that very moment he was seated with his mother in the parlour, he was meant to believe that his maternal grandfather Elder J.O. Ochi was his biological dad; but the intriguing part remained that Ifeanyi’s surname had been ‘Okezie’ right from his primary school era till then. Hence, all along, he strongly knew there was something fishy.

    “Everywhere I go,” Ifeanyi proceeded. “They call me a bastard.”

     Ifeanyi who just returned from an informal outing he had with his peers was seated directly adjacent to his mum in the sitting room at his maternal home where he had grown to see as his paternal home. Only both of them were in the enclosed space.

     Madam Chika who was deeply touched by her son’s last words was therein engulfed in ghost pimples. “My son,” she called tenderly, looking into his eyes. “You are not a bastard.” She informed, paused. “And, your father is not dead.”

     “Then, who am I?” the poor chap ranted. “And, where is my father?”

     “Calm down, my son,” Madam Chika enjoined. “I know I have really hurt you for the continued denial of your father.”

      Mr. Ifeanyi gathered himself, became calm having felt relieved.

     “I have been keeping this from you,” she continued. “Waiting till when you grow up.”

      Ifeanyi was quiet and attentive, became more anxious and curious.

     “Your father is Chief Azu Okezie,” she eventually disclosed. “From Umunga village.”

     “Umunga village…?” Ifeanyi wondered.

      His mother nodded continuously. “He has vowed never to see my face again.” She hinted.

     ‘Umunga’ was about thirty minutes drive from Ifeanyi’s maternal home. Funnily enough, Chief Okezie who got married to another woman after he divorced Chika had never bothered to check on his first son, Ifeanyi at his maternal home because he wasn’t willing to catch the sight of his ex-wife again, though he never relented remitting the required alimony for Ifeanyi’s upkeep as was mandated by the customary court that assented to the divorce proposal; he was making the statutory payment via Chika’s bank account. This was the sole reason Ifeanyi hardly knew him in spite of the fact that both parties weren’t separated by a huge distance. However, that didn’t imply he never cared for the chap; there was no second in his life he didn’t think of his well-being.

     “Why?” Ifeanyi inquired. “Were you legally married to him?”

       Madam Chika nodded. “We were legally married until we got divorced.”

     “He divorced you…?”

      She responded via a nod, looked pitiable.

     “Why?”

      She abruptly burst into tears, head bent, felt ashamed.

      Of course, she saw the question coming, thus she was prepared for the sob.

     “Mum, why are you crying?” He said, touched by the storyteller’s sudden change of mood.

     “I cheated on him….” She finally confessed loudly amid the choking sobs.

     “What…?” Ifeanyi exclaimed, shocked.

     “It was the work of the devil ooh…” She claimed, kept sobbing bitterly.

     Ifeanyi was really mad at her until at a point he decided to have a rethink, thus he began to console her having left his seat for hers.

     The following week, Ifeanyi was reunited with his father. The reunion was preceded by every consequential arrangement. Though his father, Chief Azu Okezie could boast of five children – two males and three females begotten by his second cum incumbent wife, he was filled with overwhelming ecstasy to witness the presence of his first son once again in his humble and ancient abode. He took time to let the children of the incumbent wife, Lolo Nma Okezie comprehend that Ifeanyi was their biological brother, hence ought to see him as their blood; but pathetically, their mother, on her part, instigated them to isolate Ifeanyi who she described as one who had come to reap where he never sowed.

     Afterwards, Ifeanyi was deeply discriminated by his step-siblings, particularly his immediate younger half-brother, Mezie who saw him as his greatest rival. The 22-year-old Mezie who happened to be the first child of Lolo Nma could describe Ifeanyi best as an enemy within, thus he left no stone unturned toward unleashing his hatred on him with the help of his derailed mother. All those tricks and antics were taking place in their father’s absence.

     When their father got the report of the unfair treatment via the victim (Ifeanyi), he made frantic effort to resolve the crisis, but all his moves were futile.

     The continued maltreatment made Ifeanyi to bring back his mother to his paternal home having sought his father’s consent, though she was allowed to return on the condition that she would only live at the boys’ quarters. The abrupt return of Madam Chika caused more havoc among the overall children of Chief Okezie, thereby making him to contract hypertension in the long run.

     Two years later, Chief Azu Okezie kicked the bucket at 66, via cardiac arrest; at this time, Ifeanyi and Mezie were 26 and 24 years old respectively.

     At 30, Ifeanyi who was a successful trader got married and wanted to erect his own house, thus sought for plots of land for the proposed project. As the legitimate first son of Late Chief Okezie, his kinsmen told him that he could possess his late father’s compound as the custom demanded. The commendable gesture from the kinsmen triggered Mezie’s venom alongside that of his mother and siblings; according to him, he was the only rightful and legitimate first son of Late Chief Okezie, hence no person should ‘pretend’ as such under any guise.

     Thereafter, Ifeanyi who knew his onions took the case to court. In the process, Mezie foresaw that the plaintiff would eventually emerge victorious, thus he was urged by his mother to eliminate him (Ifeanyi).

     Three weeks on, Ifeanyi was brutally murdered in the early morning of the day by assassins when he was headed for his shop. Behold, his wife, Adaobi was five-month pregnant when the ugly incident transpired.

     The deceased’s mother, Madam Chika also gave up the ghost on hearing the news, leaving the poor Adaobi behind. Indeed, only God knew the story Mrs. Adaobi Okezie would live to tell; the unfinished mission, if not missions, remained vague to her psyche coupled with that of the unborn child.

     What occurred thereafter ought to be a story for another day. So, keep a date with us!

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